It’s a big weekend for fanboys, fangirls and naysayers galore, as one of the most buzzed about, controversial films of the summer hits theatres. Will it be a bomb or will it battle back against all odds? Here’s our prediction:
Fantastic Four is the 2015 reboot by Fox of the Marvel franchise the studio arguably bungled back in 2005 with a lacklustre take on the franchise. This new version stars a younger cast, with a script co-written by Fox’s Marvel mastermind Simon Kinberg and directed by Josh Trank, who made a serious name for himself with his 2012 film, Chronicle. Unfortunately, since Trank came on board, the movie has been riddled with controversy. Some of it was ridiculous, such as the casting of Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm (the Johnny of the comics is a white male, Jordan is a black male), while some of it was more alarming, such as the talk of reshoots, studio interference and Trank going slightly off the deep end while filming. While this is the stuff of rumour, the fact that this has made it out into the geek film public, doesn’t instil confidence. However, is this enough to keep a mass audience away? No, not likely. But the absolutely horrible reviews the film is garnering could do the trick. Fantastic Four currently sits with an abysmal 10% fresh rating at Rotten Tomatoes. You can hardly get any worse, especially for a big budget flick, and I believe audiences are going to respond in kind. Look for a first place showing with $35 million.
Also opening this weekend is Meryl Streep’s Ricki and the Flash, which finds Streep playing the role of a rock star who comes back to see her family, who aren’t especially happy for her return. Streep looks to be a hoot in the role, singing and dancing like a rocker alongside Rick Springfield, who stars in a supporting role. Streep has her fans, and this film could be a nice, appealing summer respite from the big blockbusters. Look for a third place debut with $10 million.
As for the rest of the top five, Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation should drop to second place with $26 million. Minions will be in fourth place with $8.5 million, while Vacation will close things out in fifth place with $7 million.
So, to recap, here are our predictions:
1) Fantastic Four – $35 million
2) Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation – $26 million
3) Ricki and the Flash – $10 million
4) Minions – $8.5 million
5) Vacation – $7 million
Be sure to check back on Sunday to see how the weekend turns out!
